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Ely Township vs Pickford Township

167 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+77.7 pts in Pickford Township) and trails (3.1× in Ely Township).

E ×

Ely Township, MIA small town of 1,843Marquette County · 1,843 people

P ×

Pickford Township, MIHomes around $206KChippewa County · 1,674 people

Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Ely TownshipA small town of 1,843

Quiet strengthsEly Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.

All about Ely Township →

Pickford TownshipHomes around $206K

Housing$206K typical home23% below the MI typical home

Outdoors15.5% conserved land33 miles of trails across 4 parks and preserves All about Pickford Township →

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+77.7 pts

Pickford Township has grown faster since 2010

Pickford Township +75%Ely Township -2.7%

Ely Township has more miles of trail

Ely Township 102.1 miPickford Township 32.6 mi

Property tax bill+45%

Tax bills are bigger in Pickford Township

Pickford Township $2,170Ely Township $1,496

Kids under 18+10.9 pts

Pickford Township has more kids

Pickford Township 28.5%Ely Township 17.6%

Average commute6 min

Pickford Township has the shorter commute

Ely Township 31 minPickford Township 24 min

Conserved land+9.9 pts

Pickford Township has more conserved land

Pickford Township 15.5%Ely Township 5.6%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Ely Township$1,150/mo

Typical home $196K (Census) · tax rate 0.76% · Housing →

Pickford Township$1,300/mo

Typical home $206K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.30% · or rent about $730/mo · Housing →

The difference: $150 a month, about $1,800 a year, between Pickford Township and Ely Township.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Michigan ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools

–Ely TownshipNot graded B−Pickford TownshipBetter than 53% of districts in the state

Health

C+Ely TownshipHealthier than 42% of U.S. towns B−Pickford TownshipHealthier than 49% of U.S. towns

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

Ely TownshipPickford Township

Snow a year118″94″

January low2°F 8°F

July high78°F 79°F

Growing season (days)96d 127d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)26th 11th

Outdoors & history

Ely TownshipPickford Township

Trails102 mi 33 mi

Conserved land5.6%15.5%

National Register places1 1

Community

Ely TownshipPickford Township

Library hours a week—35 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

167 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Ely TownshipMarquette County Pickford TownshipChippewa County

Ely Township ↔ Pickford Township167 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Michigan average

Ely TownshipPickford Township

People

Population 1,843Highest 1,674Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2.7%Lowest MI: +2% +75%Highest MI: +2%

Median age 39.7±5.2Highest about the MI average 39.6±8.1Lowest about the MI average

Ely Township and Pickford Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 17.6%±2.1Lowest MI: 21.2% 28.5%±5.5Highest MI: 21.2%

Age 65+ 19.5%±3.8Highest MI: 18.6% 15.1%±4.7Lowest MI: 18.6%

Ely Township and Pickford Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.7%Lowest MI: 32.4% 26.3%Highest MI: 32.4%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5.9%±2.9Highest MI: 6.1% 4.4%±2.6Lowest MI: 6.1%

Ely Township and Pickford Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $100,104±$13kHighest 37% above MI $99,688±$14kLowest 37% above MI

Ely Township and Pickford Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $196,300±$19kHighest 15% below MI $167,400±$35kLowest 28% below MI

Ely Township and Pickford Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly — $730±$19 35% below MI

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,496Lowest 48% below MI $2,170Highest 25% below MI

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±81.5Lowest MI: 50.4% 12%±77.1Highest MI: 50.4%

Pickford Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 5%Highest MI: 13.2% 1.7%Lowest MI: 13.2%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 96.1%Highest MI: 73.2% 93.9%Lowest MI: 73.2%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973Lowest 1 yr newer than MI 1979Highest 7 yrs newer than MI

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 26% above MI 24 minLowest about the MI average

Work from home 2.8%±1.2Lowest MI: 13.5% 7.8%±4.8Highest MI: 13.5%

Pickford Township and Ely Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 2.2%Lowest 5.5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 16.3 miLowest 19.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.18Lowest 0.29Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Ishpeming (32%)Sault Ste. Marie (28%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Pickford TownshipFew work in Ely Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 5.6%Lowest 15.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 102.1 miHighest 32.6 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.3 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 5Highest 4Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.3Highest 0.9Lowest

Michigan average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Ely Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ely Township’s Town Square.

Pickford Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Pickford Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Ely Township

Tilden Township1,124 people · $143K homes

Humboldt Township448 people · $161K homes

Champion Township154 people · $95K homes

Ishpeming Township3,416 people · $206K homes

Towns like Ely Township

Maple Valley Township2,047 people · $171K homes

Wakeshma Township1,521 people · $202K homes

Garfield Township2,543 people · $251K homes

Watson Township2,094 people · $214K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.